Swamp antechinus

The swamp antechinus (Antechinus minimus), also known as the little Tasmanian marsupial mouse, is a species of shrew-like marsupial of the family Dasyuridae and as such is related to dunnarts, quolls and the Tasmanian devil.

Swamp antechinus[1]
Antechinus minimus from Tasmania. Stuffed specimen
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[2]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Infraclass:	Marsupialia
Order:	Dasyuromorphia
Family:	Dasyuridae
Genus:	Antechinus
Species:	A. minimus
Binomial name
Antechinus minimus (É. Geoffroy, 1803)
Swamp antechinus range

Taxonomy

The swamp antechinus was first described in 1803 (the first of all the antechinuses) by Étienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, who placed it in the genus Dasyurus (quolls), hence its species name minimus, which means "smallest".^[3]

There are two recognised subspecies of the Swamp Antechinus:^[3]

• A. m. minimus, found in Tasmania and Bass Strait;
• A. m. maritimus, found on the mainland; this subspecies is declining and is classed as near threatened.

Habitat and distribution

The area inhabited by the subspecies A. m. maritimus is in the south of the central highlands, Wimmera and Alpine areas of Victoria and the extreme south of South Australia around Mount Gambier. For the nominate subspecies A. m. minimus, the range is Tasmania, including Sunday Island, King Island and Flinders Island.

The habitat for all subspecies is closed heath, wet dense heath, open forest, open heath, swampy drainages and tussock grassland with bracken and sedge growth.

Breeding and social habits

The species is nocturnal and partly diurnal or active at night and daytime, whether it is crepuscular is not known. The species breeds during May–July and gives birth in July–August after 28–32 days gestation to 6–8 joeys. In the inland areas, mating occurs one month earlier, but the reason is not known. Few females survive a second year and all males do not live long past the mating period (Wilson et al. 1986).^[4]

Diet

The swamp antechinus is an insectivorous forager in soil habitats similar to the dusky antechinus.^[5]

References

1. Groves, C. P. (2005). Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M. (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 29–30. ISBN 0-801-88221-4. OCLC 62265494.
2. van Weenen, J.; Menkhorst, P. (2016). "Antechinus minimus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T40525A21946728. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T40525A21946728.en.
3. Wainer, J.W.; Wilson, B.A. (1995). "Yellow-footed Antechinus". In Strahan, Ronald (ed.). The Mammals of Australia. Reed Books. pp. 86–88. ISBN 0-7301-0484-2.
4. Menkhorst, Peter (2001). A Field Guide to the Mammals of Australia. Oxford University Press. p. 56. ISBN 0-19-550870-X.
5. Menkhorst, Peter (1996). Mammals of Victoria. Oxford University Press. pp. 44–45. ISBN 0-19-553733-5.

External links

• Australian Biological Resources Study
• Parks and Wildlife services Tasmania Archived 12 October 2008 at the Wayback Machine
• Primary Industries, Water and Environment Tasmania